Your first cat.
First time, with a head.

For a healthy cat — absolutely yes, provided the recipe is precisely balanced. For sick cats (e.g. kidney or pancreatic disease), BARF is often an excellent therapeutic choice, but standard proportions can't be used. Such a diet requires strict parameter adjustments (e.g. phosphorus or fat). The only group for whom raw meat is not recommended (in favor of cooked diets) is cats with severely compromised immunity. Always make dietary changes for sick animals under a vet-dietician's supervision.

A kitten from a good cattery costs PLN 3,000–7,000 (importantly: with us, this price already includes neutering and early preventive care!).

Additional first-year costs are about PLN 4,000–5,500:

• •Starter kit (good scratching post, carrier, litter box, window screens): ~PLN 1,000–1,500
• •Food and litter (high-meat diet / BARF): ~PLN 2,500–3,500 per year
• •Vet (booster vaccinations, blood/stool checkups): ~PLN 400
• •Emergency reserve (vet ER, dietician)

Yes, but integration takes time (typically 4–8 weeks). Following behavioral guidelines (including from ISFM), we don't combine animals overnight, to avoid chronic stress. We use a socialization process with isolation:

• •Separation and scent: the cat has its own room and the animals don't see each other. You swap only their bedding so the nervous system gets used to the new smell.
• •Sight: contact only through a barrier (cracked door with mesh, baby gate).
• •Meetings: short, supervised live interactions.

Crucial requirement: research on feline stress clearly shows the cat must have constant access to vertical space (high shelves, cat trees) where the dog can't reach.

Territory is sacred to a cat and the foundation of their sense of safety. The gold standard is to leave the cat at home and hire a cat-sitter who drops by 1-2 times a day. Cat hotels or stays with friends should be a last resort — the stress of transport and an unfamiliar place drastically lowers feline immunity and very often leads to health problems.

Cats aren't loners — they're a facultatively social species, capable of strong bonds. For kittens, adopting in a pair (ideally siblings) supports proper social development. When pairing adults, what matters: neutering, similar age, temperament and energy level, and the way you introduce them. Two neutered males often form the calmest pairings; two female cats can be the trickiest. Breed predispositions exist (they're heritable), but individual character usually weighs more.